This invention relates to a mechanical shock absorbing mechanism in an automatic analyzing and measuring apparatus.
In recent years an automatic analyzing and measuring apparatus has been developed for applying predetermined quantities of reagents and samples to a multiplicity of reaction carriers arrayed in two dimensions, allowing each component contained in a sample to react with a reagent to provide a reaction product which changes color and forms precipitates, and optically detecting the reaction product by an optical scanning device, whereby a multiplicity of the reaction products on the reaction carrier can be submitted to qualitative and quantitative determination in continuous fashion. Since a dispensing mechanism and/or the scanning device in the above-mentioned apparatus must be accurately transported in a plane along X and Y axes, it is important to design the apparatus in such a manner that these movable components will not interfere with each other's operation, or inadvertently contact each other, when they are started and stopped. Such apparatus is the subject of our copending applcation Ser. No. 419,038, filed Sept. 16, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,149.
Problems remain, however, in that excessive forces can be produced between these movable components and the sources for driving them when the dispensing mechanism and/or optical scanning device is accidentally contacted by the operator or brought into contact with an item of peripheral equipment, or when the apparatus malfunctions or is subjected to an abrupt correction operation by a handling error. These excessive forces can impede the continuous operation of the apparatus and necessitate the replacement of parts.